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Eye on Gentle Giants: Elephants Under Siege

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ANTI-VIVISECTION SOCIETY VOLUME CXIII, NUMBER 4 ISSN 0274-7774

24 WILD AT HEART: THE PLIGHT OF ASIAN CONTENTS WORKING ELEPHANTS By Crystal Miller-Spiegel, MS, AAVS Senior Policy FEATURES Analyst Exploitation of elephants beyond zoos and circuses can be back-breaking work. 2 THE ETHICAL MANAGEMENT OF ELEPHANTS AND THE VALUE OF LONG-TERM FIELD RESEARCH 26 COST OF ‘EDUCATION’ TOO HIGH FOR By Joyce H. Poole, Ph.D., and Petter Granli, ELEPHANTS Amboseli Elephant Research Project and By Suzanne Roy, Program Director, and Editor-In-Chief ElephantVoices RaeLeann Smith, Communications and Elephant Campaign Coordinator, In Defense of Animals Tina Nelson Based on her many years of studying elephants in Managing Editor the wild, world renowned expert Dr. Poole explains Exploitation is cloaked in zoo education and Crystal Schaeffer why captivity fails to meet the special needs of conservation. Copy Editor elephants and why their exploitation must be Julie Cooper-Fratrik stopped.

STAFF COLUMNS Tina Nelson, Executive Director 6 SHACKLED OR SHOT: GLOBAL THREATS Jeanne Borden, TO ELEPHANTS AND CONSERVATION Administration Assistant STRATEGIES TO SAVE THEM By Adam M. Roberts, Vice President, Born Free USA Laura Ducceschi, Education Director 16 MEDIAWATCH By Cynthia Zipfel, AAVS Outreach Coordinator Heather Gaghan, Assistant Director Although protected for a number of years, more of Development & Member Services needs to be done to conserve their habitats and The media continues to look toward AAVS as build education programs that teach people how to Nicole Green, Assistant Director of a valuable resource regarding the issue of pet live safely and cordially with elephants. Education cloning. Nicole Perry, Membership Coordinator Jennifer Raila, Office Assistant NEWSNET Crystal Schaeffer, Outreach Director 10 QUEST FOR DUMBO: 18 ELEPHANT REPRODUCTION RESEARCH By Crystal Schaeffer, M.A. Ed., AAVS Julie Sinnamon, Executive Assistant By Crystal Schaeffer, M.A. Ed., AAVS Outreach Outreach Director for Programs & Administration Director Crystal Miller-Spiegel, Senior Policy £1 Million Funding for Alternatives in UK; Austria Works to Ban Experiments on Apes; Analyst Desperate to increase the dwindling number of elephants in North America, the zoo industry is Chickens Think about Their Futures; Umbilical Lauren Zaprala, IT Manager & spurring a growing area of research. Cord Blood Growing Source for Stem Cells; Graphic Designer Computerized Brain in the Works. Cynthia Zipfel, Outreach Coordinator GRAPHIC DESIGN/ILLUSTRATION: 12 CIRCUSES AND ELEPHANTS: © Copyright 2005 eureka, THE TRUTH UNDER THE BIG TOP 29 MESSAGE TO OUR MEMBERS www.abouteureka.com By Emily Clermont, Public Policy Coordinator, The winter holidays are a great time of year for giving! The AV Magazine (USPS 002-660) is Animal Protection Institute published quarterly under the auspices of Learn the sad reality of life for elephants in the American Anti-Vivisection Society, circuses. Sue Leary, President. Annual membership TRIBUTES dues: $25 .00. Third-class postage paid at Special31 friends honored and remembered. Lancaster, Pa. 15 ELEPHANTS: EARTH’S MOST MAGNIFICENT MAMMALS Office of Publication: By Cynthia Zipfel, AAVS Outreach Coordinator 801 Old York Rd., #204 We all love elephants, but did you know.... ARDF UPDATE Jenkintown, PA 19046-1685 The32 Alternatives Research & Development Telephone: (215) 887-0816 Foundation is proud to announce the recipients Fax: (215) 887-2088 CARING FOR CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS: A of its 2005 Alternatives Research Grant E-mail: [email protected] 20 MAMMOTH PARADIGM SHIFT Program. Website: www.aavs.org By Carol Buckley, Founding Director, The Elephant Sanctuary Articles published in the AV Magazine may be reproduced with written permission and A personal look at one sanctuary giving haven to with credit given to AAVS. Also, we appreciate elephants in need. receiving pertinent newspaper and magazine clippings, including their sources and dates of publication. 22 ELEPHANTS SPEAK OUT FOR CONSERVATION When sending funds or making bequests, By Kate Nattrass, Wildlife and Habitat Protection, please use our legal title: International Fund for Animal Welfare Cutting-edge technology listens in on elephant The American Anti-Vivisection Society conversations. 801 Old York Rd., #204 Jenkintown, PA 19046-1685

Organized and established in 1883.

The individual views expressed in the AV Magazine do not necessarily reflect the policy of the American Anti-Vivisection Society. The Ethical Management of Elephants and the Value of Long-Term Field Research By Joyce H. Poole, Ph.D., and Petter Granli, Amboseli Elephant Research Project and ElephantVoices

Over the last decade or so, western society has witnessed an impor- tant shift in consciousness concerning the welfare of non-human ani- mals. Much of the impetus for this swing in opinion has been driven by the results of scientifi c studies which have shown many species to be capable of experiencing not only pain and suffering but multifaceted emotions and reasoning within complex social and cognitive settings.

hrough a wealth of psychological effects of trauma. undertaken a broad range of scientifi c publications, Taken together, these scientifi c comprehensive studies on popular essays, books, discoveries require improvement different aspects of elephant and documentary fi lms, in the way we care for elephants biology and behavior. Now in its studies of elephant and demand that we err on thirty-fourth year, the published T behavior have contributed the side of caution when the results of this large body of substantially to this change interests of elephants are being work form the essential basis for in outlook, challenging the considered. our current insight into what it status quo with regard to means to be an elephant and is To a large extent, the elephant social, communicative, vital to our understanding of the change in attitude toward cognitive, and emotional ecology, population dynamics, elephants is a direct abilities. Unusually long-lived, social behavior, and cognition consequence of the numerous elephants display a high of all species of elephants scientifi c publications and degree of social and emotional everywhere. As a consequence documentary fi lms produced complexity. Their development of AERP’s several hundred by long-term fi eld research includes social learning and collective years of observations exemplifi ed by the Amboseli behavioural innovation, both of individually-known elephants, Elephant Research Project of which are evident in the its vast databanks, and widely (AERP). Initiated by Cynthia use and modifi cation of simple published scientifi c research, Moss in 1972, the AERP strives tools and in vocal imitation. biologists associated with to create, maintain, and make Elephants have high neocortical the AERP are in a unique available an unparalleled body development, possess good position to make important of knowledge on the African memory, and are skilful users recommendations on a wide savanna elephant, Loxodonta of Machiavellian intelligence. range of issues concerning the africana. Based on the long- Mirror self-recognition conservation, management, and term study of the population by elephants indicates welfare of both free-ranging and of elephants inhabiting the self-awareness. Numerous captive elephants. Amboseli ecosystem in southern observations suggest that Kenya, the AERP data bank is a As the scale and pace of elephants may have theory of unique and priceless resource. environmental change in both mind and anticipatory planning In addition to the regular long- African and Asian elephant abilities that may include term monitoring of the 1,300 range states multiply, intensive imagining future events, such individually-known elephants management of isolated wild and as pain to themselves and that currently make up the domestic elephant populations is others and, possibly, their Amboseli population, scientists increasing. Against the backdrop own deaths. In addition, from around the world have of a shift in consciousness, the elephants experience long-term

2 A A V S FALL 2005 AV MAGAZINE A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ANTI-VIVISECTION SOCIETY 3 The Ethical Management of Elephants and the Value of Long-Term Field ResearchValue of Long-Term Field Research continued

management of dwindling wild and captive measures; lack of adequate space and 2004; welfare of elephants in Norwegian populations of elephants is simultaneously social stimulation; unsuitable housing circuses, 2004; welfare of elephant Wankie, coming under more and more scrutiny. and climates; the practice of chaining, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2005; space requirements training, and disciplinary action; as well as for elephants, 2005; practice of forced In the wild, practices such as culling, free contact are coming under mounting defecation in circuses, 2005; and to testify translocation, fertility regulation, and pressure for change, with an escalating in the Chicago City Council hearing on methods of human-elephant conflict number of cases appearing in the media. Elephant Protection Ordinance, 2005. Her mitigation are increasingly in the public own participation in this increasing dialogue eye. A recent proposal to re-institute culling As welfare issues come increasingly to is but one voice in response to countless in Kruger National Park, South Africa, the fore, the Amboseli Elephant Research requests made of elephant field biologists required an international conference to Project has experienced a rising number of around the globe. review the evidence before such a drastic requests to make recommendations, offer measure could be taken. In Kenya, a planned expert opinion and testimony, and appear By attempting to mimic wild translocation of elephants from one national in court in disputes related to the ethical environments, zoos have made major park to another has villagers concerned treatment of elephants. To give but a few advances, and, for almost every species, wild about the consequences of inadvertently examples, author Poole has been called upon biology is now the basis for exhibits. But for splitting elephant families and the to testify in the Tuli Elephant Case, South elephants, with more than 4,000 years of consequences if distressed elephants were Africa, 1999; to give numerous statements exploitation by humans, the starting point to take ‘revenge.’ regarding the: ethics of using elephants in is too often merely what has gone before. circuses, 2000; welfare of circus elephant, Zoos have tended to treat elephants as if Traditional approaches to captive Arna, New South Wales, 2002; importation they are a domesticated species and, as a elephant management, such as highly of 11 African Elephants from Swaziland; result, find themselves trying to justify or invasive reproductive and health welfare of elephant Maggie, Alaska Zoo, adapt management methods that are really

4 A A V S FALL 2005 about maintaining the animal as a beast that all elephants, including males, should and must be carefully evaluated on a case-by- of burden in various guises. Because the be allowed access to a social group, not case basis. human-elephant relationship is historically kept in isolation. It recommends that males With this state of affairs in mind, we exploitative, tradition in this case is surely a should remain in the company of their believe that the time is ripe for a declaration most unreliable guide to elephant needs and families until the age of natural dispersal, of principles describing the nature of interests. while closely related females should stay elephants, and what their interests, captive together for life. Elephant behavior shows In the recent movement to improve or wild, might be. We have, therefore, taken us that during parturition females should the approach that major zoo associations an initiative in this direction. Drawn from remain unchained and in the company of are taking in the management of captive a consensus of leading field biologists, close elephant companions, particularly if elephants, as well as in a sustained effort such a declaration will be difficult to experienced females are present, and that to end altogether the practice of using challenge and will encourage a more infants and calves should not be removed elephants in circuses, the debate between balanced development of elephant welfare from the care of their mothers and family individuals and coalitions both inside and management both in the wild and members. It points clearly to the fact that and outside zoos and circuses has often across the spectrum of captive situations the tradition of removing an elephant been acrimonious and heavily weighted in which elephants are held. The purpose from its social group for the purpose of with agendas and ideas that are more of the statement will be to provide an exchange with other zoos or circuses about people and organizations and their Elephant Charter, or Magna Charta, based should cease. It emphasizes that all forms of reluctance to change than they are about on elephant biology, which can be the physical discipline and punishment must be elephants. There is so much folklore, touchstone for anyone needing to address discontinued and that chaining should stop tradition, and received ‘wisdom’ around elephant interests. It will state, unless absolutely necessary for veterinary elephant management that cutting through care. It is clear on the basis of all these “We hold these things to be true about it to an appreciation of what elephants really criteria that circuses are not an appropriate elephants, as a result of our published are as wild animals is next to impossible. environment for elephants and that most scientific research. We believe these things Although we are experiencing a period zoos will have to make substantial changes must be taken into account as dwindling of incredible change that is nothing short to meet elephants’ most basic needs. wild and captive elephant populations come of a revolution, the current debates are under more and more intensive management. We believe that how we account for these things defines the validity of our approach to management and in particular to meeting the In Kenya, a planned translocation of elephants from welfare needs of elephants.” one national park to another has villagers Such an Elephant Charter will place the onus of responsibility on zoos and others concerned about the consequences of inadvertently claiming to act in support of elephant welfare and conservation to take the facts splitting elephant families and the consequences of elephant biology and behavior (i.e. the things that define wild elephants as wild if distressed elephants were to take ‘revenge.’ elephants rather than the things that define wild elephants as able domestic servants) into account and to openly demonstrate that they have done so. composed of endless assertion and towering Long-term behavioral study concludes What is the right way to treat beings rhetoric but little clear resolution. that, in the wild, the distressing practice such as elephants? If, in terms of anatomy, of abducting infant elephants from their As each battle is fought, and won or physiology, social behavior, and cognition, families to send to circuses, zoos, or safari lost, those field biologists who are in the a continuum exists between humans and parks must stop. It indicates that culling of storm find ourselves repeating the same other animals, it follows that there should elephants ought to be avoided except where viewpoints regarding the well-being of be some scale of ethical principles. Based all other alternatives have been examined, elephants. Our long-term behavioral on available evidence, we have reached and that if culling is deemed essential, it research on wild elephants indicates that the moment in time to move beyond old should include whole families; elephant these large, highly social and intelligent patterns in the treatment of elephants and infants and calves should not be spared for animals require ample, environmentally lay down the principles by which new export to zoos, circuses, safari parks, and complex space and a sufficient number standards should be set. private reserves. The parallel practice of of conspecifics for social contact and introducing traumatized youngsters to new learning. It points to the fact that we areas without adult role models should For more information on the should be moving toward a position in cease. Alternative practices to culling such Amboseli Elephant Research Project, please which only captive situations with space as translocation and birth control also have visit the Amboseli Trust for Elephants at allowing individuals to choose among a welfare implications, and these must be www.ElephantTrust.org and wide selection of social partners, and to carefully assessed. Human-elephant conflict www.ElephantVoices.org. achieve adequate exercise and stimulation, is the cause for increasing ethical dilemmas are permitted to keep elephants. It indicates

AV MAGAZINE A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ANTI-VIVISECTION SOCIETY 5